One of the central tenets of meditation is cultivating spiritual and mental stability. This means not letting yourself get too bent out of shape by the things that come your way. The actions of others, the circumstances of your day, and even your own thoughts can all be stressful and throw you off your groove. Meditation comes into play here because it can help you separate yourself from your stray thoughts and gut reactions.

We’ve all experienced the situation where someone makes some offhanded comment, maybe not even meaning anything by it, and we hold onto it like a dog with a moldy bone. Why did he/she say that? Were they implying something? Wasn’t their tone disrespectful or sarcastic?

I say this now with total conviction: there is NO benefit to taking things personally, or worrying about the things people say about you. It’s impossible to eliminate your negative emotional reactions entirely, but with practice you can work on decreasing the grip they have on your life and energy. Acknowledge your thoughts, but focus on the fact that they are temporary and let them dissipate. They’re just clouds passing through your sky. The better you get at this, the more stable you become and the less likely you are to be jostled around when rough waves come your way.